It’s going to be hard to be a Philadelphia 76er this season. It’s no joy to be a fan of them this year, but the losing that everyone knows is coming will not be fun for coaches or players either.

It can be tough to build good habits, a good work ethic in the midst of getting smoked eight out of 10 times you walk on the court. The Sixers lost their last four preseason games, all by double digits, and while you can say “it’s just preseason” this is one trend likely to carry over into next week. It’s not a matter of effort from the players, it’s how management chose to put together a team.

Young said he has talked to his teammates, telling them, “We can’t lay down for 82 games. It’s a long season. If we lay down for 82 games, it’s going to be an even longer season. Guys are going to get frustrated. Guys are going to get stressed out.”

I’ll ignore the incorrect use of lay/lie to say Young is right.

The challenge for the Sixers through this season will be building a foundation for future success. When the losing piles up and piles on the motivation to keep working, to keep doing things right fades. It can be a cancer that destroys the foundation they are trying to build. It’s one of the risks of this strategy, of going bad to get good — even if you land Andrew Wiggins in the next draft, you may need to clean house to change the team culture again so you can grow with him.

Brett Brown has a tough job ahead as a coach for the Sixers this season. At least he has Young on his side.

“I have to help lead,” he said. “I have to help teach them. I’ve been talking to Coach, each and every day — basically just going in there (to Brown’s office) and going over a lot of game tape. I’m learning on the fly, and I have to teach on the fly also. … Sometimes it does get to you a little bit, but with these guys, they listen. They try to retain all the information we’re putting in. They’re very receptive.”

I lost all hope of feeling good about it after the Sixers trotted him out twice to sell tickets the last two years. Him coming back in the Celtics series was basically a retirement ceremony, they can use the same montage video.

Man I really feel bad for Thad. Good guy, plays hard all the time. He can start on a decent team and come off the bench for a contender. The rest of the Sixers are basically fringe NBA players and/or players that need to prove themselves, so they have a good opportunity to do that in Philly.

Httr all you want, this season’s 76er’s team is more important to me then the last 12 groups. Everything is against them, peeps expect them to lose every game. The role they are playing will show who are true players are. I hope Brown and the whole cast shows up next season. It maybe a tough year for Sixers, but the future is better then 7-8 seed pergitory. Hate all you want, I will still watch every game.

Call me crazy, whatever, but I have been through this for long time ( and I have seen 76’s championships), I will be rooting for them every game. Go Sixers!